The Moral Of The Story

[Themis]

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
OLD VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving. CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing,'It's Not Easy Being Green.' ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, "We shall overcome ". Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake. President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight. Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper. The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood. The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010 & 2012.

[TWTL]

Themis wrote:

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
OLD VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

Actually, we don't know if the ants left the shivering, homeless grasshopper to die of hunger.

I like to think the ants were compassionate enough to look upon the grasshopper the way Walt Disney did in this wonderful version of the story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Didn't someone famous ;) once say, "whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me?"

[TWTL]

Themis wrote:

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
OLD VERSION

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

Themis wrote:

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
MODERN VERSION

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010 & 2012.

21st Century moral of the story: steal $700,000,000,000 from the ants.

[Bob Oppenheimer]

obama is an ant eater.

[TWTL]

Themis wrote:

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010 & 2012.

The moral of the story: Don't vote for Themis!

[harvey]

I bet twattle does unto the brothers all the time....for free even.

[harvey]

Bob Oppenheimer wrote:

obama is an ant eater.

He's probably a piss ant too.

[Mark from La Mancha]

harvey wrote:

I bet twattle does unto the brothers all the time....for free even.

Hey dude. The 50's called...they'd like you back. You must have missed this development in culture dude, but people don't look at the brothers like there's some inherent flaw in all of them.
People are people dude. You ought to find the courage to speak to a brother sometime. They come in all types just as nazi's like you...don't.

[RFR]

Mark from La Mancha wrote:

<quoted text>
Hey dude. The 50's called...they'd like you back. You must have missed this development in culture dude, but people don't look at the brothers like there's some inherent flaw in all of them.
People are people dude. You ought to find the courage to speak to a brother sometime. They come in all types just as nazi's like you...don't.

I was raised out in the country where you did not get to mingle with other people of differant cultures. Due to Reaganomics I was forced to join the USN (not a bad thing all should be forced to serve). I recall a trip back to the ship after a 4 day leave home and a bud from Clevland on our trip back to ship. 7th game of world series we were in Watertown NY and dicided to stop at a bar to watch final inngings. Little did we know it was a all black bar but we went in and ordered drinks. After a little hassle about IDs we were served and welcomed by all that were there. People are people but the closed minded bigots that we have and with the help of Fox Propganda network and hate talk radio these bigots will continue their hate until called out.

[Themis]

TWTL wrote:

<quoted text>Didn't someone famous ;) once say, "whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me?"

The quote before political correctness was "what soever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me" - Having typed that, I apologize for my sinfulness towards you

[Themis]

TWTL wrote:

<quoted text>
The moral of the story: Don't vote for Themis!

If I were running for something, I believe you would vote for me - You like me too much!! http://www.youtube.com/watch...

[Mark from La Mancha]

TWTL wrote:

<quoted text>

Didn't someone famous ;) once say, "whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me?"

I find it stunning when nonbelievers have to remind Christians when they're busy fighting shadows to be a little more Christ like.

[Karen]

I don't find it stunning. I find it amusing. Unbelievers who claim that tolerance is "the" virtue of the age instantly lose all tolerance as they stand in judgment of someone else, applying a standard which the unbeliever rejects for him/herself. Other unbelievers who proclaim that believers are judgmental join the first group, hypocritically condemning believers for judging because they happen to restate what Scripture says.
Sometimes this is done somewhat playfully - as I might expect you to respond if I used language that you consider entirely acceptable for you, but not for me. Often it is done with a spirit of vengeance that makes a mockery out of any pretense of tolerance. What is stunning is that the unbelievers don't even realize what they're doing.
Yes, sometimes believers need to be reminded to practice what it is we're practicing. Sometimes the culture around us seeps into our lives and we don't notice that our standards are slipping. Sometimes we need the encouragement of knowing that others are even aware. It'd be nice if those who reminded us actually wanted us to succeed in living according to our standards - but the point is never about our actually doing so - it's always about our failure. It reminds me of the old story about how you keep crabs in a bucket. You just put more than one in because the others will always pull any crab that attempts to escape back down.

Mark from La Mancha wrote:

<quoted text>
I find it stunning when nonbelievers have to remind Christians when they're busy fighting shadows to be a little more Christ like.

[TWTL]

Themis wrote:

<quoted text>
The quote before political correctness was "what soever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me" - Having typed that, I apologize for my sinfulness towards you

You call it political correctness. The Church calls it inclusiveness.

[harvey]

Mark from La Mancha wrote:

<quoted text>
Hey dude. The 50's called...they'd like you back. You must have missed this development in culture dude, but people don't look at the brothers like there's some inherent flaw in all of them.
People are people dude. You ought to find the courage to speak to a brother sometime. They come in all types just as nazi's like you...don't.

When someone doesn't agree with one of you brothers, they are called nazi's.....why is that? I agree to disagree with your way of thinking. I have learned how the "brothers" act...they have an attitude all the time. Not all of them, mind you, but most all of them do. You can mingle with whoever you please, I will do the same. I would speak to the brothers, but I don't do ebonics. I don't care to learn either.

[Mark from La Mancha]

harvey wrote:

<quoted text>When someone doesn't agree with one of you brothers, they are called nazi's.....why is that? I agree to disagree with your way of thinking. I have learned how the "brothers" act...they have an attitude all the time. Not all of them, mind you, but most all of them do. You can mingle with whoever you please, I will do the same. I would speak to the brothers, but I don't do ebonics. I don't care to learn either.

I characterized you (wrongly) as a Nazi because they were about (among other things) the superiority of a race. Your comments about blacks were in line with someone against an entire race. This post cleared that up.
You and I have gone back and forth on things but I have wondered if you might be someone I knew or grew up with.(Are you Italian? ;) I'm not unfamiliar with the points behind your crude characterizations and may well agree with you on some.
It's just hard to read through the lines when you use the terminology you do.(I get it though...you're exagerating for effect. Now I know.)
Finally, it's unfortunate you haven't met some of the blacks that I have.

[Mark from La Mancha]

Karen wrote:

I don't find it stunning. I find it amusing. Unbelievers who claim that tolerance is "the" virtue of the age instantly lose all tolerance as they stand in judgment of someone else, applying a standard which the unbeliever rejects for him/herself. Other unbelievers who proclaim that believers are judgmental join the first group, hypocritically condemning believers for judging because they happen to restate what Scripture says.
Sometimes this is done somewhat playfully - as I might expect you to reDspond if I used language that you consider entirely acceptable for you, but not for me. Often it is done with a spirit of vengeance that makes a mockery out of any pretense of tolerance. What is stunning is that the unbelievers don't even realize what they're doing.
Yes, sometimes believers need to be reminded to practice what it is we're practicing. Sometimes the culture around us seeps into our lives and we don't notice that our standards are slipping. Sometimes we need the encouragement of knowing that others are even aware. It'd be nice if those who reminded us actually wanted us to succeed in living according to our standards - but the point is never about our actually doing so - it's always about our failure. It reminds me of the old story about how you keep crabs in a bucket. You just put more than one in because the others will always pull any crab that attempts to escape back down.
<quoted text>

You're funny. It's all the fault of those pesky atheists judging you all the time isn't it? What happened to your insistence about all of the free will of teens? Doesn't apply to the poor christians though. Society takes such advantage of them that they can't even express their free will and practice what they preach. Stunning.
I keep forgetting how religion is mainly like warmed over gruel for the frightened. Little substance, but sustaining. My problem is I have listened to too many preachers. I thought Christianity was supposed to be this life changing, journey of honor to God.
As I've quoted before:“Christianity is supposed to be about helping others and changing yourself, not the other way around”. Seems like you're schlubs no different from the rest of us...except for the pretense of superiority.

[Themis]

TWTL wrote:

<quoted text>
You call it political correctness. The Church calls it inclusiveness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =IynQCmqvXZs

[harvey]

Hey mark, nope I am not an Italian....but I can bet some good Italian guy or gal, beat the crap out of your ass huh? Nope, I am of Irish descent and my people helped to build up this country and never took a penny in government help. Unlike you and yours. I am not a nazi and I don't hate blacks per say, just the cocky wise ass cowards and lazy no accounts. Not to say that there are not whites who fit that discription, there are. And latino's as well. I do not like the illegals of any race who come here and plunder our system and suck it dry, which might be some of your friends. Me and my people, fought in wars, some died, and I hate what this country has become. You can't pray in public, you have to now put up with non english speaking morons. This nation was once great, it may be again. But first we have to stand up and speak out, like the teabaggers are doing. God bless them. Now that I answered you, go back to sucking your thumb, drink that kool aid and hide under your bed.

[Karen]

Do we fail to practice what WE preach or to practice what YOU preach. By the way, are you still insisting that free will is some magical power? It rather sounds like it. Saying that something is good and that it's what we're aiming for - or saying that something is bad and that we're not going there - is not a guarantee of success in either endeavor. You claim that we don't PRACTICE what we preach. Practice may make perfect, but practice doesn't equal perfection on day 1. It may not mean perfection on day 10,001 or 100,001. If perfection were immediate, we wouldn't need practice.
I also have to wonder whether it's that we don't practice what WE preach or that we don't practice what YOU preach. All this stuff that "we" don't practice - I don't hear about the sort of standards you claim we preach except from people like you and from televized fiction.
Again I have to ask if you've forgotten to whom you're writing - you're saying I'm one of those "frightened"? Actually, I could equally claim that Atheists are the ones who are frightened. They are so afraid to face the reality of God's existence that they resort to denial - they pretend He doesn't exist in hopes that He'll go away. How am I any less justified in my observation than you are in yours?
And given the claims of many Atheists that Atheists are more intelligent, more successful, more educated, more...., would I be any less justified in my observation that Atheists are at least as arrogant as they claim Christians are - that they believe themselves at least as much superior to everyone else as they claim that Christians believe themselves.
As for helping others - check the statistics. Christians donate more money to charity than any other group. The Gallup report entiteld "Religion and the Public Interest" indicates that religious institutions contribute $19 billion to "care for children and the elderly, education, health, food for the hungry, housing for the homesless - per year. The dollar value from church volunteers adds up to more than $6 billion per year.
Shall I start naming charitable organizations that were begun by Christians? Shall I begin with one I've heard you mention as a particular favorite of yours - the Erie City Mission? Let's see, there's the Salvation Army, the YMCA, the YWCA, the Red Cross, World Vision, International; Samaritan's Purse, Food for the Hungry, Christian Children's Relief Fund; and Compassion, International. Oh, and lest we forget, most people would claim that Mother Theresa was a Christian (I know, you keep trying to claim otherwise.)
Once again, you are making wild-eyed claims that you completely fail to substantiate. I suggest you present some evidence.

Mark from La Mancha wrote:

<quoted text>
You're funny. It's all the fault of those pesky atheists judging you all the time isn't it? What happened to your insistence about all of the free will of teens? Doesn't apply to the poor christians though. Society takes such advantage of them that they can't even express their free will and practice what they preach. Stunning.
I keep forgetting how religion is mainly like warmed over gruel for the frightened. Little substance, but sustaining. My problem is I have listened to too many preachers. I thought Christianity was supposed to be this life changing, journey of honor to God.
As I've quoted before:“Christianity is supposed to be about helping others and changing yourself, not the other way around”. Seems like you're schlubs no different from the rest of us...except for the pretense of superiority.